I have this book titled Children's Prayers from Around the World by Mary Batchelor.
Right now, my life is very busy and full. I have not had much time to write for this blog or reflect. Today my eyes fell on this book and I turned to the page titled Busy Days.
Here is what it says.
Work, for I am with you, says the Lord.from Haggai 2
Thank you for the joy that comes when we have done a good piece of work, even if it means doing it over and over again, as Jesus did in the carpenter's shop. Thank you for the happy times we have when we do things together, and share everything with each other. Thank you for all our friends.
The things, good Lord, that we pray for,
give us grace to work for.
Sir Thomas More (1478-1535)
I was reminded of how Jesus and Joseph were carpenters. They worked with their hands and I'm sure were busy on certain projects at times. Also Mary was busy keeping house, cooking, getting water from the well and making sure they had clean clothes. Being busy is part of life. But how we treat others and ourselves during our busy lives is what matters!!
Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Different Directions of Lent
Last Monday, March 14th, I received an email from a fellow Ursuline Sister, Sr. Mary Beisiegel, osu, who currently lives and ministers in St. Louis.
Sr. Mary writes:
Wanted to share a Lenten thought with you - heard this on Ash Wednesday at mass.
The three focuses of Lent - Alms giving; Prayer; Fasting - are 'directional' depending on what we need to work on.
Alms giving is sharing of ourselves - an outward direction.
Prayer is an upward direction - an invitation to work on our relationship with God.
Fasting - an inward direction - to work on what needs to be corrected/adjusted within us.
The priest further asked us to reflect on which direction was most in need of work in our personal lives as we began our Lenten exercise.
We are now in the second week of Lent and this keeps coming back to me.
What direction is in most need of work at this point in my life?
I need to spend some time thinking about it.
I absolutely love the different directions to turn my focus.
How about you?
Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu
Sr. Mary writes:
Wanted to share a Lenten thought with you - heard this on Ash Wednesday at mass.
The three focuses of Lent - Alms giving; Prayer; Fasting - are 'directional' depending on what we need to work on.
Alms giving is sharing of ourselves - an outward direction.
Prayer is an upward direction - an invitation to work on our relationship with God.
Fasting - an inward direction - to work on what needs to be corrected/adjusted within us.
The priest further asked us to reflect on which direction was most in need of work in our personal lives as we began our Lenten exercise.
We are now in the second week of Lent and this keeps coming back to me.
What direction is in most need of work at this point in my life?
I need to spend some time thinking about it.
I absolutely love the different directions to turn my focus.
How about you?
Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!!
May God give you,
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile;
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial,
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share.
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer to each prayer.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Words that give me HOPE
The Ursuline Sisters are part of the Leadership Conference for Women Religious. They put out a publication called The Occasional Papers. I just finished reading their Winter 2011 edition which focuses on "Behold I am Doing Something New".
Nancy Schreck, OSF wrote an article titled The Journey to Newness: Mining the Wisdom of Exilic Literature. Here's a great quote from it.
"This is a critical time in religious life for exploring our deepest identity, not our more recent past. Our call is to understand ourselves, not from a period when we were a labor force in the church, but an earlier time of our prophetic identity, our deepest foundation, to a time when we were free to be the expression of our founders' wildest vision."
This makes me realize that I have to turn more to Angela:
The woman who said no the the Pope
The woman who created a third lifestyle option for women in the Church (not married or cloistered, but living among the people)
Angela who crossed a dangerous bridge
The woman who had a man secretary in 1535!!.
I need to ask her advice on ways we can live out that wildest vision in today's time. My prayer time is going to be really busy now!!
More to follow.
Sr. Jeannie, osu
Nancy Schreck, OSF wrote an article titled The Journey to Newness: Mining the Wisdom of Exilic Literature. Here's a great quote from it.
"This is a critical time in religious life for exploring our deepest identity, not our more recent past. Our call is to understand ourselves, not from a period when we were a labor force in the church, but an earlier time of our prophetic identity, our deepest foundation, to a time when we were free to be the expression of our founders' wildest vision."
This makes me realize that I have to turn more to Angela:
The woman who said no the the Pope
The woman who created a third lifestyle option for women in the Church (not married or cloistered, but living among the people)
Angela who crossed a dangerous bridge
The woman who had a man secretary in 1535!!.
I need to ask her advice on ways we can live out that wildest vision in today's time. My prayer time is going to be really busy now!!
More to follow.
Sr. Jeannie, osu
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
An Idea for Lent
Today is Ash Wednesday. Lent 2011 starts today!!!
Many people give up "something" like candy, cake or soda during Lent as a sign of sacrifice and as a tangible reminder of the suffering Jesus went through for us.
In my childhood home growing up, Mom always encouraged me to also do something extra (i.e.- shop for an elderly neighbor, watch one less t.v. show and pray instead, go to an extra Mass during the week etc.) I remember teaching 4th grade at St. Philip Neri School in the Bronx and reading that Lent was a time of prayer, almsgiving and sacrifice. I guess my mom took almsgiving to mean a sharing/giving of my time to Jesus.
So I always find myself giving up something and doing something extra for Lent. This year, I am giving up soda for Lent and my extra action will be taking a daily walk and praying to music on my IPOD.
For those of you women readers 50 and under, here is an invitation to an upcoming prayer and conversation gathering.
Join the Ursuline Sisters and other women for prayer and conversation on Lent. This will take place on Sunday, March 13, 2011 from 2-4 p.m. at the Ursuline Provincialate 1338 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY Feel free to bring a friend. We would love to have you in our midst!!
Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu
Many people give up "something" like candy, cake or soda during Lent as a sign of sacrifice and as a tangible reminder of the suffering Jesus went through for us.
In my childhood home growing up, Mom always encouraged me to also do something extra (i.e.- shop for an elderly neighbor, watch one less t.v. show and pray instead, go to an extra Mass during the week etc.) I remember teaching 4th grade at St. Philip Neri School in the Bronx and reading that Lent was a time of prayer, almsgiving and sacrifice. I guess my mom took almsgiving to mean a sharing/giving of my time to Jesus.
So I always find myself giving up something and doing something extra for Lent. This year, I am giving up soda for Lent and my extra action will be taking a daily walk and praying to music on my IPOD.
For those of you women readers 50 and under, here is an invitation to an upcoming prayer and conversation gathering.
Join the Ursuline Sisters and other women for prayer and conversation on Lent. This will take place on Sunday, March 13, 2011 from 2-4 p.m. at the Ursuline Provincialate 1338 North Avenue, New Rochelle, NY Feel free to bring a friend. We would love to have you in our midst!!
Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Words of Angela
Angela Merici, the founder of our religious community, had many wise things to say.
Here are her words.
And if, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to make new rules or do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice.
– taken from Angela’s 3rd Legacy
Here is an adaptation from one of Angela's daughter - Cabrini Durkin.
She who says that does not want to be “in”. She does not want to hold onto the past at any cost. She is free of fearful concern about her work, about her reputation. She knows that all human deeds-if they are good deeds-are only a small part of the work of the Creator. She has experienced God’s love and has made the same experience available for others, for those who seek God, for those who thirst and hunger for more than just the superficial, for those who live in shadows.
Lord, give us the courage of this woman, that we may not hold on to the past and may not fear the future, but that we may live in the present and face the questions and needs of the people of today, and that together we may ask:
What would Angela do today?
-taken from Praying with Angela Merici-Editions du Signe 1999
Here are her words.
And if, according to times and circumstances, the need arises to make new rules or do something differently, do it prudently and with good advice.
– taken from Angela’s 3rd Legacy
Here is an adaptation from one of Angela's daughter - Cabrini Durkin.
She who says that does not want to be “in”. She does not want to hold onto the past at any cost. She is free of fearful concern about her work, about her reputation. She knows that all human deeds-if they are good deeds-are only a small part of the work of the Creator. She has experienced God’s love and has made the same experience available for others, for those who seek God, for those who thirst and hunger for more than just the superficial, for those who live in shadows.
Lord, give us the courage of this woman, that we may not hold on to the past and may not fear the future, but that we may live in the present and face the questions and needs of the people of today, and that together we may ask:
What would Angela do today?
-taken from Praying with Angela Merici-Editions du Signe 1999
Monday, February 28, 2011
Ursulines and Benedictines
On Thursday, February 24th, I headed down to Wilmington, Delaware to our Ursuline Convent and visited with some of the sisters there. What a great group of women dedicated to that city and our school- www.ursuline.org!!!
Then on Friday, February 25th, Sr. Maureen Welch, osu and I made the 90 minute drive down to Ridgely, Maryland. We were on our way to visit the Benedictine Sisters, their monastery and the Benedictine School for Exceptional Children- www.benschool.org. Our visit went so well. I was very impressed by the school which is a residential program for individuals (ages 5-21) with special needs of intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities and autism. Day students are also welcome. The place was so clean, well-lit and colorful. There was a sense of "home" and "all are welcome" present in the building and with everyone we meet. We saw academic classes, industrial training and life skills learning taking place. This school doesn't stop here; it goes on to have group homes for adults with disabilities in various parts of Maryland and Delaware. Then there is an industrial job center, graphic design center, day community and busy bee cleaning operation for them to go to daily. Now Sr. Jeannette, the Executive Director of Benedictine Programs and Services is working on building a retirement center for adults with disabilities. She is making sure that throughout all of life's stages, the people are cared for in a human and loving way. So impressive!!!
After being given a fantastic tour by the vice principal of the school, Julie Hickey, I was invited by Sr. Colleen Quinvalen to visit the monastery and other sisters. We had a delightful time sharing stories and being together. I felt so much at home there.
This visit made me appreciate the different connections and opportunities I have to see places and meet other people because of my life as an Ursuline Sister. I feel so blessed.
Sr. Jeannie, osu
Then on Friday, February 25th, Sr. Maureen Welch, osu and I made the 90 minute drive down to Ridgely, Maryland. We were on our way to visit the Benedictine Sisters, their monastery and the Benedictine School for Exceptional Children- www.benschool.org. Our visit went so well. I was very impressed by the school which is a residential program for individuals (ages 5-21) with special needs of intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities and autism. Day students are also welcome. The place was so clean, well-lit and colorful. There was a sense of "home" and "all are welcome" present in the building and with everyone we meet. We saw academic classes, industrial training and life skills learning taking place. This school doesn't stop here; it goes on to have group homes for adults with disabilities in various parts of Maryland and Delaware. Then there is an industrial job center, graphic design center, day community and busy bee cleaning operation for them to go to daily. Now Sr. Jeannette, the Executive Director of Benedictine Programs and Services is working on building a retirement center for adults with disabilities. She is making sure that throughout all of life's stages, the people are cared for in a human and loving way. So impressive!!!
After being given a fantastic tour by the vice principal of the school, Julie Hickey, I was invited by Sr. Colleen Quinvalen to visit the monastery and other sisters. We had a delightful time sharing stories and being together. I felt so much at home there.
This visit made me appreciate the different connections and opportunities I have to see places and meet other people because of my life as an Ursuline Sister. I feel so blessed.
Sr. Jeannie, osu
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